Happy Ending?
by Lostinthoughtantime
Summary: Spoilers for End of time. Rose is in the other universe with her doctor but she has to face that she's losing him, whilst the Doctor is facing his own ending here in this universe. 10thDoctor/Rose - happy ending, really!
1. Routine

A/N - Ok you need to stick with this, its sad but... I need happy endings as we all do and I just watched the end of time... i cried and so i have decided to fix EVERYTHING.... happy reading...

Feet make their way up some steps, make their way into a medical facility far away. The steps are confident the owner of them distant. Today Rose is looking smart, He wouldn't recognise her in her new suit, her black shiny shoes, her hair rolled up in a tight bun – efficient, cold maybe even controlled. She flashes her id at a woman sitting in the posh reception and the woman nods knowing this woman wouldn't welcome conversation. The woman pushes a button on her desk and a buzzer makes a short hiss as a door beside her pops open. Rose makes her way through it head held high, eyes straight ahead. She makes her way through a seemingly endless corridor; she knows where she is going, she comes here every day to see Him, though he isn't really here, her step falters at this thought. She glances at the empty white corridor, its empty just like he is, she takes a deep breath and continues walking until she finds the door she's after. She takes out her id and swipes it along the card reader then bends so she can look into the eye recognition device, "Welcome Rose Tyler," says a robotic voice and the door opens.

Inside a nurse sits at her desk in the corner reading a magazine, she gently puts it on the table beside her and makes her way to Rose's side, "There's no change" she says softly wishing she had other news.

Rose nodded, ignoring the sympathy in the words. The same words every day, no change. Every day for twp years, every day at this time, every day; time goes on but he doesn't he has stopped and yet she goes on in her little human routines; work, come here, then sleep and then it starts again the next day – same old same old.

She makes her way over to the bed as the nurse makes a discrete exit. He lays there peaceful, the machines keeping him alive beep in the background. One of those beeps is his heart, a single heart, hers.

She takes a seat in the chair beside him and takes his hand in hers. "Routine," she sighs, "I used to be happy with routine, once upon a time…" she pauses and looks at him, unable to not, "a shop girl, with a normal life," she grimaces, "working to pay my keep, so I can go out in the evenings with my boyfriend," she takes a deep breath and stares at the window, "I thought that was all there was, eventually maybe me and Mickey could have got married," she shrugs lightly trying to imagine it and failing, "life, a human life – accept what you have and work with it"

She listens to the beeps, listens to them echo around her, his life held together by machines. She looks at his hand in hers, its cold so she holds it in both of hers satisfied to feel his pulse beating under hers…alive… "This hand," she glances at it, "this hand, changed that" she remembers a different hand grasping hers and a short command.

"You asked me to run," she smiles at the memory, "and we never stopped running" _Till now_, echoes in her thoughts, but she wouldn't say it she couldn't.

She sat in silence like that for hours, the minutes ticking by slowly as she listened to his life echo around her. _She could sit here forever, _she thought, _as long as he is here…_ An alarm went off on her watch, 8 o'clock, curfew she had to go it was an agreement she had with her mum. She stood up slowly holding his hand tight in hers, "I have to go," she mutters turning to look at this man who means so much, "I have to" she repeats as she leans down carefully placing his hands by his sides, looking into his face wishing with all her heart she could see his eyes again knowing she probably never would. She takes a deep breath and kisses his forehead, "Love you," she sighs. But he doesn't hear her. He's not here really this body is just a shell… She chokes slightly on unshed tears and swipes one angrily away refusing to admit it, refusing… She stands up and reluctantly turns away from him, "Till tomorrow," she says. And she will come again, and again, and again. Together forever, no matter how much it hurts. She walks to the door, reconstructing her tight control. The nurse walks in gives her a nod and Rose walks out.

Till tomorrow.


	2. Alone

In another universe the Doctor is on his own again, unable to take another companion, unable to face another parting flitting from one adventure to another, flitting closer to his end. And every so often he will think of her far away living the life he wishes he could share, knowing he can't, but she's with him, his other; they'll be happy long after his gone, gone, gone…

He looks up at his TARDIS and angrily sighs at the unfairness of it all.


	3. Denial

Its been years for her, two long years since he left her at Bad Wolf Bay with his 'clone'. Rose grimaces at that word unable to face what he really is; a copy of the one. She shakes her head refusing to think of him, refusing to feel the hurt the anger…. But its getting harder, everyday it gets harder to shut the hurt out.  
Happy ending…  
Happy…  
She takes a deep breath and tries to concentrate on her work in front of her. She maybe at work but her thoughts are always on Him, lying there in that facility. She takes another breath and reads the words on the paper in front of her, 'possible alien sighted in Cardiff' she tries to read on but the words blur.

"Rose,"

Rose looks up as Pete walks through the door, "Pete," she replies in greeting. She glances at the clock on her desk, 2 o'clock, same time every day, "No Pete," she firmly states, "No, I won't"

Pete comes in and takes a seat in front of her. He looks at Rose, knowing the Rose he first met may never come back, "Rose, it's been years you have to let him go"

Rose stared down at the papers feeling the sudden need to get some order together, "Don't ask me that," she replies her voice almost breaking, "Don't!" she cant look at the sympathy in his eyes, can't face the worry the criticism, the truth…the truth. He tries to take her hand but she pulls it back, "No! Please no…"

"This can't go on like this, your mother…"

Rose stands up quickly and walks over to the window, her back to him. "Why do you come here? My answer won't change"

He comes to stand behind her not touching her as he knows Rose will not accept any comfort from anyone, not him, not her mother, not anyone. "Rose," he starts again, "this isn't healthy for you, or for him," he quietly states. He watches as Rose doesn't move, doesn't react, "this isn't what he'd want, let him go love," he takes a breath, "let us turn off the machines"

"No!" Rose lets her forehead softly hit the glass, pain trying to break free, her tears softly falling unnoticed, "Please," she chokes out, "Please don't" she steps away from him, "please go now, just leave me on my own"

He reaches out and lets his hand fall back to his side, he looks at her slowly tearing herself apart and he knows there's nothing he can say or do to help, so he steps back and walks to the door and looks back at her, "You know where we are," he goes to leave, but pauses, "think on what I said."

Suddenly he's gone and she's alone letting herself slide down to the floor, tearfully asking the computer to turn down the lights and lock the doors as she lets herself think back to that day, the day she lost him.


	4. Fairness

When he'd said goodbye on the beach at bad wolf bay, the first time, she could not accept it. She'd played over that final scene, wondered what those final words she never got to hear were. And she waited; waited for a blue box to appear, waited for the man to come back and say those words in person. She finally faced the fact that he couldn't come back to her and so she decided to get back to him, because he NEEDED her, and most of all, if she dared admit it to herself, because she needed him.

It took a long time for the cross dimensional cannon to be ready; she'd worked her butt off everyday finding the technology to make her dream a reality. Focusing on seeing him again, all her focus on that day, all her efforts… And then the stars had started to go out. Just as she finds him again, just as her eyes find his everything falls apart and that is how later, on that horrific day, she's back on that damned dreary beach and he's telling her goodbye. Leaving her with another,

"That's me," he says pointing to his clone, "when we first met. And you made me better and you can do the same for him"

She shakes her head looking into the Doctor's eyes, "He's not you"

"He needs you. That's very me"

And she knows then that there is no changing his mind and she turns to find his double standing beside her and he is so close… "I look like him, I think like him, same memories, same thoughts, same everything," he looks into her eyes, "Except I've only got one heart"

"which means?"

"I'm part human. Specifically, the aging part. I'll grow old and never regenerate. I've only got one life..." He takes a deep breath and steps closer, "Rose Tyler. I could spend it with you. If you want."

"You'll grow - grow old... at the same time as me?"

He smiles, "together"

But she finds herself looking back at the Doctor, "But its still not right," she shakes her head barely able to take in what is happening, barely able to face that he is going, "cause the Doctor is still you"

The Doctor gestures to his other self, "And I am him"

"All right," she says determined now to sort this out, "Both of you, answer me this. When I last stood on this beach, on the worst day of my life, what was the last thing you said to me? Go on, say it." She looks at both of them, then back to the Doctor holding her breath waiting, "I said, 'Rose Tyler.'"

"Yeah, and how was that sentence going to end?"

The Doctor looks away unable to say the words, "does it need saying?"

Hurt she turns to his other self, "And you, Doctor? What was the end of that sentence?"

The new Doctor leans to her ear and finally says the three words that he could never say and suddenly she is kissing him, knowing that the Doctor watching, hurting him and she finds herself wanting to hurt him, wanting to show him what he could have… And then suddenly the Tardis engines can be heard, she pulls away from this new doctor and runs desperately towards the Tardis - but its too late… She hurt him and now he has gone. She stares at the space where the Tardis once stood; left behind once more. The new doctor takes his place by her side taking her hand in his. Rose turns to look at him and they stare at each other for the longest time. She had part of him and maybe it would be enough.

Later that day they made their way home, back to London, she desperately held onto her new doctor scared he may slip away and he lets her knowing this is what she needs.

Weeks went by and she makes him better and they make plans, like all humans do. "We'll have to get a mortgage," he laughs.

Happy, they were so happy, they were going to grow old together; Rose laughs bitterly, if only the Doctor could see her life now.  
But she is never angry with him for long. It plays on her mind that he's far away, taking risks every day alone. Rose sighs, stands up slowly and makes her way over to her desk. It was just over a month later that the house of cards she and her new doctor had carefully built came crashing down around their heads. 'Nothing good lasts forever' someone said that to her once and tragically she finds it's true, heartbreakingly true.

It started with the little things, a forgotten job, a forgotten date… he started being forgetful. And it got worse until he started forgetting people's names, even hers. She could see that it upset him, knew he tried to cover it up with a little laugh.. Sometimes he'd look at her for the longest time and she'd ask him why…

"I don't want to forget you" he'd sadly sigh, "not you"

She took him to see a doctor went for numerous tests and the news wasn't good. His brain was shutting itself down and no one could tell her why and there was no way to stop it. All she had was hope that maybe it would just stop by itself… but it didn't. He started to forget to eat, forget to sleep, where he was, who he was… and then he started to forget how to do the little things we take for granted. Rose, in the end had to do everything for him. Three days she stayed at home taking care of him, what was left of him, and then finally one day he didn't wake up one morning.

He'd left her again. But she couldn't let him go so she'd had him moved to the medical facility where the machines kept his body alive and every day she visited him, every day she sat by him just like she'd promised. She was going to be with him forever… and ever.

Rose lets herself fall into the chair, lets her head fall against the desk and she turns to look at his photo, his cheeky grin, the man she was going to grow old with, "Its not fair," she cries, "ITS NOT FAIR!"


	5. A hard decision

Rose had made her regular pilgrimage to his side last night, her emotions back under control. The nurse had said the usual words, "no change" and once again had left Rose alone with him. She'd talked for hours about nothing and everything and then at half past eight she'd gone back to her lonely flat where she lay awake staring at the cracks in the ceiling.

Its two oclock and she's at her desk once more trying to focus on her work waiting for Pete to make an appearance, but she's surprised when he comes in with her mum.

Jacqui stares at her daughter sadly wondering where her bright bubbly daughter has gone. Pete and Jacqui stare at one another in silence and Rose watches the emotions on their faces and fears what will be said.

"Whatever you have to say," Rose states, "I'm not giving up on him, so you may as well leave"

Jacqui shakes her head, "Rose, sweetheart, I'm worried about you," she takes a seat, leans closer to her daughter and places her hand against her cheek, "We just want what's best for you"

Rose turns her face away and pointedly looks at her work, "Everything is fine mum, you don't need to be concerned"

"How can I not be concerned sweetheart, everyday I see less of you"

"I do have to work you know"

"Rose, your only here 9 till 5pm and then there are the weekends…"

"Mum I do have a life of my own"

Jacqui shakes her head, "if I thought you were out enjoying yourself with friends then I'd be happy, but your not!"

Rose looks up at her mother, "he needs me,"

"But he's DEAD Rose, your spending all your time with a CORPSE!"

She flinches as if slapped, "He's still breathing, his heart still beats…"

Jacqui sighs and reaches out for her hand, "Sweetheart you know what the doctors have said he's brain dead, there's nothing left of him"

"mum, I can't give up on him"

"but he's gone…"

"mum," she pleads, "he and I we're gonna grow old together, he said we would"

Jacqui squeezes her daughters hand, hurting cause she hurts, wishing she had all the answers, "Its not possible sweetheart,"

Rose looks out the window desperately reaching out, grasping, "Nothing is impossible, he showed me that"

"This isn't what the Doctor wanted; he wanted you to live," Jacqui pointedly stared at Rose, gesturing to the space around her, "THIS isn't living!"

"Well he's not here is he," Rose spits out, "he left"

Jacqui takes a deep breath and wonders whether she and Pete should have done what they have done sooner…

Pete comes to Jacqui's side and clears his throat, "I've made a decision,"

"We've made a decision," interrupts Jacqui

He nods in agreement, "We've talked about this for some time and last night we finally agreed"

Rose looks at them both, waiting but not expecting it…

"We've spoken to John's doctors," Pete continues, "and we've agreed its best if the machines are turned off this time next week"

Rose stands up in horror, "no…"

Jacqui stands up, "It will give you time to say goodbye"

"no, you can't" she moans her back against the wall…

Pete sadly shakes his head, "Its already been arranged"

"I'll talk to the doctors, I'll stop it"

"There is nothing you can say they agree with me this is for the best" he pauses and quietly continues, "I'm sorry love we're doing this for you"

Rose turns to her mother, "Please mum, don't do this"

Jacqui solemnly shakes her head side to side crying for her daughter wishing once more that things were different, "Let go," Jacqui pleads, "let him go…"

Rose shakes her head slowly working her way to the door, "I'll never forgive you," hurt and betrayed she leaves as she shouts over her shoulder, "never!"

Jacqui screams out for Rose and goes to follow but Pete holds her back and takes his wife into his arms, "Let her go, she'll see in the end that it's for the best"

Jacqui stares at the door, "But she hates us,"

Pete gently kissed Jacqui's forehead, "Give her time…"


	6. Escape

A/N:- I'm crying... seriously crying... but theres light at the end of the tunnel... bare with the emotional trauma... it gets better... please!! On a slightly happier note I just brought me a David Tennant calendar... so am happy... I don't make sense and I may never make sense again... :-)

Rose rushes to the medical facility all the while thinking up names of people she could contact who can stop… No she cannot even think the words; it's just too terrible for her to contemplate.

As she walks up the familiar dead corridor she's thinking, thinking of ways to save him. Her steps are brisk and when she opens the door to his room the nurse is standing, not sitting like she usually is, she's standing waiting having heard her steps.

"No change," she says stepping closer. Rose nods and goes to step around her, but the nurse puts a hand on Rose's arm, "I'm sorry"

Rose shrugs off the arm and makes her way to the bed she doesn't want to hear it, she doesn't want to know… routine, routine, routine… That's all she has…

The nurse sadly looks at the two people in the room and shakes her head, "I'll be outside if you need me," and makes her way out of the room.

Rose stands over him, her doctor, her John, and she places her hand over his heart, whilst her other hand absently runs through his hair. She misses his smile, she misses his laugh, his eyes and she misses the way she was with him; the way they were. All those crazy adventures, all that running, oh the places they had seen. She smiles as she remembers the future the past the places in between those little moments together; moments taken for granted… gone. She sighs and stares out the window at the Zeppelins flying overhead, at the sun in the sky and she wishes it would rain and rain. It doesn't feel right that the world keeps turning whilst he… She climbs up onto the bed and lies so her head rests on his chest, "don't leave me, please," she begs, just as she's begged so many times before.

She lays like for this for ages, barely breathing, feeling his heart softly beat beneath her cheek. And day turns to night and night turns to day and there's no change. She's rung all her contacts, screamed till she's blue in the face "It's for the best," and she laughs in their face, slowly losing her grip refusing to admit... Jacqui and Pete come to see her but their words fall on deaf ears; she sees no one, only him.

"We have to go," she says to him softly one day, "I've got a car," she laughs, "Its not the Tardis it can't go through space and we can't travel through time but we can see the world," she places a kiss against his skin, "together," She turns so she can see his face. "just like before we'll run and we'll keep on running…"

She jumps out of the bed and looks at the machines, "we'll have to take them with us," she mutters as she checks them out, "but we need power," she stands still trying to think up a solution and suddenly smiles, "I've got a battery pack in my car.." she rushes out of the room and soon comes back holding the battery pack, "just think John," she comes over and quickly attaches the battery pack, carefully placing the machines on his bed, "another adventure for shiver and shake. And it will be great!" she shouts as she quickly releases the breaks on the bed. She stands behind the bed and looks down at him, "What is it you always said?" She waits a moment and laughs, "Ahh yes Allonzy!!!"

She pushes the bed out of the door and bumps into the nurse. The nurse stares at the two of them in horror, "What are you doing?" shaking her head blocking Rose's way… "you need to take him back"

Rose bitterly laughs, "We're leaving"

The nurse stands her ground, "I don't think so,"

"Think again" says Rose as she suddenly whips out her gun and points it at the nurse, "I suggest you step away"

The nurse quickly complies and Rose pushes past her making her way to the fire exit. She hears the alert for security being sounded as lights flash on the wall and she's elated. She runs down the corridor, slamming into the fire doors satisfied at the way the wood crunches as she hits it… Outside it's raining and she laughs letting the rain fall down her face washing away the stench of the medical facility. Her car stands ready where she'd left it and she gently places John and the machines in her car, "It's not very big on the inside," she states, as she quickly belts him in placing a quick kiss on his cheek, "but we're together"

Rose carefully shuts the door and quickly gets in the drivers side.

She pauses as she puts her hands on the wheel suddenly wondering what she's doing. "John?" she asks uncertainly quickly peeking at him, "what am I doing, what should I do?" She stares at him a little longer suddenly at a loss, "I don't know what I'm doing" and she lets her head fall so it hits the wheel.

"Miss," Rose looks up to find a member of security standing at her window, a gun pointing in her direction, "Get out of the car Miss"

Rose looks at the man, then looks at John and shakes her head. The gun doesn't frighten her, death doesn't frighten her; what frightens her most is the thought of losing him. "I'm sorry," she whispers to the security man, "I'm sorry." Rose starts up the engine daring the security man to shoot and quickly puts her foot done, reversing the car away from security. The car jerks and swerves as she turns the wheel, she shoves the car into first and speeds out of the car park, out onto the main road until she reaches a roundabout, "Well John," she says turning to look at him, "which way shall we go?" she points to each road, "that one, that one or.. that one?" then she smiles, "that one"


	7. The Last Timelord

_A/N- Okay peeps back to the Doctor, just to warn you had to borrow greatly from Waters of Mars for this, so if you haven't watched it this may not make a lot of sense... keep reading and reviewing... reviews make me happy... on a side note we have SNOW!!! AHHHH!!!_

It had started as a simple wish to see Mars, just a little fun trip just something to fill time; but nothing is ever simple - not for him. He'd been delighted when he'd found himself later in Bowie Base One where he met the first human pioneers on Mars but then delight turned to horror as he realised the date and realised that all of these people were going to die very shortly. Their deaths were a pivotal point in history and he couldn't change that and he'd tried to leave, he really had tried…

As minutes sped by and the humans' death raced closer he' walked outside making his way back to the Tardis whilst the humans fought for their lives in vane. He could see it all happening in his minds eye he could hear their screams beating him down till his on the ground. And it hits him there, amongst the dirt, he's the last Time Lord - the only one, and he can save them and there is no one stop him. He strode back into the base to save the day thrilled to be breaking the rules and he'd saved three of them – three lives saved. He happily took them home to Earth and as he dropped off Adelaide he waited for the thanks, the praise, the hero worship but it never comes. Instead she stands there staring at him puzzled, "you saved us?"

He strides towards her and grins, "Just think though. Your daughter and your daughter's daughter – you can see them again," he gives Adelaide a small smile as she shakes her head, "Family reunion."  
"But I'm supposed to be dead" she cries  
and he's so smug, "Not anymore."  
"But – Susie, my granddaughter – the person she's supposed to become might never exist now"  
He sighs, "Nah. Captain Adelaide can inspire her face-to-face. Different details, but the story's the same" he shrugs as if that's all there is to it.  
"You can't know that!" She angrily interrupts, "And if my family changes the whole of history could change! The future of the human race – no one should have that much power!"  
His smile has gone, he really doesn't care, "Tough!" He's the last of the Time Lords, he doesn't have to answer to her. He watches as Adelaide steps away from him afraid  
"You should have left us there."  
and suddenly he's trying to justify it, cocky in his reasoning, "Adelaide," he rushes out, "I've done this sort of thing before, in small waves, saved some little people. But never someone as important as you." He chuckles proud of himself, "Ooh, I'm good"

"_Little_ people?! " Adelaide shouts, "What, like Mia and Yuri?" she glares at him furiously, "Who decides they're so unimportant – you?"  
Ungrateful ape, he thinks feeling absolutely no shame for what he's done, "For a long time now, I thought I was just a survivor, but I'm not. I'm the winner. That's who I am. Time Lord Victorious" he finishes with a shout, daring anyone to dispute it.  
Adelaide recoils slightly, fear and understanding clear on her face, "And there's no one to stop you."  
"No"  
Adelaide points to the ground, confidant in her words, "This is wrong, Doctor. I don't care who you are. The Time Lord Victorious is wrong"  
He doesn't care, he answers to no one, "That's for me to decide," he replies coldly running out of enthusiasm for the whole thing, "Now, you'd better get home," he looks over to her front door, "Oh, it's all locked up," he reaches into his pocket for his sonic screwdriver, "you've been away. Still, that's easy." He points his screwdriver at the door so it unlocks, his face grim, almost childishly unhappy at having been contradicted, "All yours," he says as he puts his screwdriver away. Adelaide walks past him, still frightened by the power he holds, "Is there nothing you can't do?"  
"Not anymore"

He watches as Adelaide walks towards her front door, then he turns to walk back to his TARDIS. He hears her door shut, another life saved and he's basking in his newfound power. But then he suddenly hears a low electric crackle and he turns back and he's shocked to realise that after all he'd done for her she's taken her own life. And he doesn't know what to think, or do at that moment but then he feels someone watching him and he turns slowly to look down the street. "I've gone too far," he says breathlessly panic causing its way through his blood as he spies Ood Sigma staring back at him. The Doctor drops to his knees frightened, "Is this it?" he cries, "My death?"

But the Ood doesn't reply

"Is it time?" he tries again, but the Ood disappears and suddenly he realises he can't escape what is coming. He looks back at Adelaids house. He'd thought that if he'd cheated her death he could cheat his own but now... Quickly stopping the thought there he grabs the key to the Tardis from his pocket, too afraid to stay any longer, and quickly enters his ship.

He rushes up to the control panel and quickly picks a destination far from this place, it doesn't matter where as long as it isn't here.


	8. Revelation

_A/N: Short chapter.... very short... just felt i wanted to get some more stuff uploaded before work. Still snowing outside I'm sitting here with my caramel sign hot choc and my cheese pastry submerged in this story... and i have so many great ideas... I woke up with a one hell of humdinger this morning... ahh yes its so gonna be good... Anyways will not doubt post another chapter later... I have work in 30 mins... so I'll say adieu... till later... just have to go wipe my eyes..._

Rose had driven the length and breadth of Britain, unable to leave the country; she had no passport and her face was too recognisable because of her position in Torchwood - besides how could she explain John… and so here she sits in her car sitting next to John looking out to sea at Lands End. "So what do we do now then?" she asks.

The silence, she's so tired of the silence, tired of talking to John and knowing there is no response. She turns to stare at him peacefully 'sleeping' and shakes her head - this isn't him anymore, not the John she knew; not even the Doctor for both of them were never at peace - there were always shadows hanging over them, the weight of 900 years baring down on them such a lot of responsibility – such a lot of guilt.

But now John lies here peaceful the only sounds that emerge are the sounds of the machines keeping him alive and there surrounded by the sound of the machines, she realises she's already lost him she'd been so very much lost in her denial that she didn't see his mind slip away. She knows now she has to say goodbye, but somehow it doesn't seem quite right to do it here… to stop his heart in this cold unfamiliar place so she picks up her phone and makes a call.

"Mum," she chokes out, "I'm sorry"


	9. Friends reunited

_A/N- Okay, this is the bit where i borrow a lot from RTD's brilliant script End of time part 1 - if u haven't watched it - i suggest you go out and do so... I keep telling you its soooooo saaaaddd... Of course I won't blame if u can't - its pretty traumatic to see the end of our favourite Doctor... I'm rambling again... Anywhere was i??? Oh yes - well I've borrowed a whole chunk of script here and hope you forgive me... I don't know if this reads right.. I've read it twice but i am so tired - and i wanted to post something before i go to sleep... really i want to get closer to the happy ending.... I do so like happy endings..._

Ood Sigma had been a sign that the Ood had a message for him, but he feared what the message would contain –so instead of going straight out to visit them he'd gone travelling, had a bit of fun got into a bit of trouble until he could no longer put it off. He'd gone to the Ood sphere dressed in a straw hat wearing a lei around his neck trying to treat the visit as a joke, but in the end no one laughed, not even he, for in a vision shown to him by the Ood he watched the Master return and if that wasn't enough it looked like Wilf and Donna were in trouble. All this news was enough to have him rushing back to Earth to put a stop to the Master's return – but he was too late; the place shown to him in the vision is just rubble and the Master is on the loose.

Eventually he hunts his old 'friend' down finding him in an old building site. The Master lures him closer by knocking four times on old steel drum; is this the end, he wonders, but he's relieved to hear the Master banging the drum again. He approaches the Master and as he does the Master runs away unnaturally fast jumping higher than he should over rubble and dirt until he stands on a pile of steel bars looking down at him wild, uncivilised, insane.

The Master laughs, his form flickering to a skeleton and back again. The Doctor sadly shakes his head, crazy, he thinks, the Master is crazily burning up his own life force. "Please, let me help you," despite what has happened in the past he still wants to help, still not wanting to be the only one left… The Master laughs leaping backward into the air landing on the other side of the steel bars. He goes to give chase, running around the pile surprised to see Wilf and a bunch of pensioners standing there looking around - but no time to stop and chat he pushes past them trying to make out which direction the Master had gone… but there's no sign of him anywhere.

Disappointed he turns back to look at Wilf and his strange group of friends surprised to hear that they've all been out looking for him. He shoots a furious look at Wilf, "Have you told them who I am?" he asks, "You promised me!"  
Wilf shakes his head, "I just told them you were a Doctor," Wilf steps back and salutes him, and he awkwardly returns the salute all the time wondering how it is Wilf keeps popping up in his life. But he doesn't have time to think about it because suddenly this group of pensioners are eyeing him up like he's desert.  
"Ooh you never said he's a looker; he's gorgeous" says one lady, "take a photo." and she quickly hands a camera to a man who, he's bemused to find, is eyeing him up too "Not bad eh" the man says with another look in his direction. He warily takes a step back watching as the randy pensioners make plans to have their pictures taken with him; its only a picture, only a picture he mutters silently. The group soon surround him, Minnie the menace standing by his side, whilst he considers how frightening this whole situation is , why, he decides, it's almost as scary as confronting the Daleks. He considers this for a moment more as they all pose around him, but he's soon horrified to feel Minnie hand pinching his bum! His bum! He stares at her in complete shock and soon changes his initial opinion – he'd rather face the Daleks any day of the week rather than be here right now. He wonders whether a sonic screwdriver can be used as a cattle prod… he only hopes the Master wasn't anywhere nearby to witness the scene. Soon he's herded onto a bus, a bus for Rasillions sake, it's almost like a daytrip but instead of going to Bognor they're off on a Doctor hunt; please, he silently begs, please don't let the idea catch on.

To his relief he gets off the bus with Wilf in town and he watches as the bus pulls away mentally taking a note of the registration so that if he sees the bus again he'll know he has to run in the opposite direction.

He follows Wilf down the street into a café, "Why this one?" he asks suddenly suspicious, "We've passed fifteen other café's on the way"

"Yeah I know," chuckles Wilf with no further explanation.

Inside the café they find a table and sit facing one another, Wilf chattering away laughing at this and that whilst he warily watches. Why is it Wilf always seems to be in his path, why this man? If he himself lived in a house nearby then maybe he'd understand, but he doesn't he lives in the Tardis travelling through time and space and it's incredibly rare for him to accidently bump into the same person twice; how many times has this man appeared now three times?

"Who are you?" he asks finally,

Wilfred frowns confused, "I'm Wilfred Mott"

"No," he says shaking his head, "people have waited hundreds of years to find me and then you manage it in a couple of hours"

"Well, just lucky, I suppose"

"No, we keep on meeting, Wilf. Over and over again. Like something's still connecting us," he stares at Wilf trying desperately to find a logical explanation

"Well, what's so important about me?"  
"Exactly. Why you?" Why this human, why now. In the back of his mind there's a suspicion that Wilf is going to pay a pivotal part in… He looks out the window desperately blocking the thought but not completely succeeding and suddenly he finds he wants to confide in this man, wants to get it off his chest "I'm going to die," he finally states breaking the silence  
Wilf shrugs, "Well, so am I, one day"

"Don't you dare!" He feels his eyes grow moist, him a Time Lord…

"All right," Wilf chuckles still unable to see, "I'll try not to."

The Doctor takes a deep breath, finding it harder to keep his emotions in check, "But I was told… 'He will knock four times.' That was a prophecy. Knock four times and then…"  
"Yeah, but I… thought… When I saw you before, you said your people could change, like, your whole body"

He shakes his head, "I can still die." If I'm killed before regeneration then I'm dead" he leans closer to Wilf, "Even then, even if I change, it feels like dying" he pauses, "Everything I am dies. Some new man goes sauntering away" he stops and tries to gather the courage to carry on, finding it hard to say the words "And I'm dead" dead. He sits there letting the words hover in the space between them feeling their impact; feeling the pain, the fear, the dread. He focuses on Wilf and notices wilf looking out the window so he looks out and is shocked to see Donna loading some shopping into a car.

"I'm sorry," Wilf says, "but I had to. Look, can't you make her better?"

And the Doctors reminded of something else he has to guilty about it, something else he's done wrong in the past. His eyes hurt, "Stop it!" he begs, don't ask don't ask…

"No, but you're so clever Can't you bring her memory back?" Wilf points to Donna and suddenly The Doctor know why he's in THIS café, "Just go to her now!" Demands Wilf, "Go on, just run across the street and say hello!"  
"If she ever remembers me, her mind will burn and she will die!" How many times does he have to tell him, he'd do something if he could. Rasilion he hurts.. he hurts all over. They watch Donna stand up to a traffic officer and he and Wilf laugh, its good to see her alive and well, good to see she's still Donna, "She's not changed"

"No. Oh" Wilf points as a young man appears carrying some shopping bags and talking to Donna, "there he is! Shaun Temple – they're engaged! Getting married in the spring"  
"Another wedding," another companion settling down,

"Yeah"  
"Hold on," he says suddenly realising something, "she's not going to be called 'Noble Temple' – it sounds like a tourist spot!"  
"No, it's 'Temple Noble"  
"Right," He breaths a sigh of relief, Noble Temple, no one would ever take you seriously with a name like that. He watches Donna pack the car, "Is she happy" he wonders aloud, "is he nice?"

"Yeah, he's sweet enough. He's a bit of a dreamer. Mind you, he's on minimum wage, she's earning tuppence, so all they can afford is a tiny little flat" he pauses to watch Donna get into the car, "And then sometimes I see this look on her face. Like she's so sad. But she can't remember why"  
"She's got him." he watches Donna and her man chatting away in the car and its nice to see her settling down Oh how he envies them…  
"She's making do"

"Aren't we all?" he sighs sadly, thinking about a time he nearly got stranded in the future, a time when he considered settling down himself with…  
"And how about you?" Interrupts Wilf, "Who've you got now?"

He shakes his head and turns to stare back at Wilf, "No one, travelling alone" he sighs thinking about Rose, he'd have liked to joke that he has her… because he does somewhere, well at least his clone has her… which is the same really, or not… "I thought it was better," and he shrugs remembering that moment he lost it outside the Tardis after the Mars incident, "It went wrong, I need…" Her… Oh Rasilion this hurts… he feels the tears falling down his cheek and he covers his face with his hands, hiding the weakness, hiding the pain… he takes a deep breath trying to regain some control. He can't think of anything to say, so bitterly he says "Merry Christmas!"  
"Yeah," says Wilf, tears in his eyes, "and you"

He sits there wondering at the total randomness of this conversation, "Look at us," he says as they both laugh.

Wilf leans closer pleading once more, "D-don't you see?", he points to Donna, "You _need_ her, Doctor. I mean, look, wouldn't she make you laugh again? Good old Donna"

He finds himself nodding in agreement as he watches Donna's car drive away, yes he needs Donna - he needs someone but if he gives in to any of those needs someone will get hurt or the universe will implode or something – always something. He continues to watch as Donna's car disappears out of sight, stands up and makes his way out of the café, he just has to go on by himself.


	10. Inevitable

_A/N- Still playing with end of time transcripts... More spoilers for the episode. Do you know just reading the transcripts makes me want to cry... So I just want to say big thanks to the people who post transcripts on the web. If it were'nt for them I'd have to watch the episodes over an over and i just think i'd end up an emotional mess.. way too traumatic to watch for a while... anyway continuing on.... R&R peeps_

In a large room of a mansion in London the world is safe once more. The End of Time was prevented with very few casualties and the drumming has stopped. "I'm Alive!" he sobs, "I'm still alive!" The drumming in the Masters head, he was sure, had been the signal that his song was ending – but he's still here, still breathing – still the tenth. Gradually he eases himself up so he's sitting pleased to have cheated death once more.

Knock, Knock, Knock, Knock.

He should have known, he thinks sadly as he turns his head slowly to see Wilf trapped in the radiation containment device, Wilf again.

Wilf gives him a little wave, "They gone then? Yeah, good-o. If you could, er, let me out"  
The Doctor nods sadly, "Yeah"  
Wilf anxiously looks down at the flashing console in the chamber, "this thing seems to be making a bit of a noise"  
The Doctor hesitates, still absorbing what is happening, "The Master… left the nuclear bolt running. It's gone into overload"  
"And that's bad, is it?"  
"No, " yes for me, "Cause all the excess radiation gets vented," he nods towards the ominous chamber, "inside there. Vinvocci glass contains it. All 500,000 rads about to flood that thing"  
"Oh. Well, you'd better let me out then"

"Except it's gone critical"

Wilf's face falls,

"Touch one control and it floods," he takes out his sonic screwdriver, "Even this would set it off"

No escape – no way out…

"I'm sorry," Wilf sadly says, "Look, just leave me"

Like he ever could… He smiles bitterly, "Okay, right then, I will. 'Cause you had to go in there, didn't you? You had to go and get stuck, oh yes!" it had to be Wilf, "Cause that's who you are, Wilfred. You were always this. Waiting for me, all this time." He'd been there waiting in the wings… for this moment.  
"No, really, just leave me. I'm an old man, Doctor. I've had my time"  
"Well, exactly, look at you," he cries out angry at everyone and everything, "Not remotely important! But me? I could do so much more! _So much more! _But this is what I get. My reward. **And it's not fair!" ** He shoves paper off a desk as he begins to cry, gasping for breath. His eyes fill with tears and he shakes his head and sighs. "Oh… Lived too long"  
Wilf looks on in horror as the Doctor steps towards the chamber, "No. No, no, please! Please don't. No! Don't! Don't! Please. Don't. _Please_"  
The Doctor stares at Wilf and makes a decision, "Wilfred, it's my honour" He looks up not wanting to think anymore, "Better be quick! Three, two…" [He opens the door and steps inside the booth, pressing the button that will release Wilf, "One"

Wilf rushes out as the light in the box holding the Doctor turns red and he groans, his eyes and jaw clenched with pain as he falls to his knees, one hand on the glass wall. He hisses and grunts with agony, slowly collapsing to the floor and covering his head with hands as if he could ward it all off. He convulses with every sobbing breath. Dying, dying, dying. His song is ending.


	11. The Last Journey

_A/N: Damn I'm crying again.... why do i do this to myself??? Anyways...lets get on..._

Rose holds John's hand as he lies there still on the gurney in front of her his life preserved by the machines beeping in the background. "Nearly there," she mutters, as the zeppelin makes its decent. Jackie enters the room and puts a comforting arm around, "You okay love?" she asks…  
Not really, she wants to say, "Yeah I'm okay, we're okay"  
Her mum gives her a hug, "Well we'll be landing soon – just wanted to check yeah?" Jackie looks down at John sadly and shakes her head, "I'll be out front with Pete…" she mutters leaving the room again.

Her mum has been wonderful ever since she'd made that call. No recriminations, no anger – her mum had just held her for the longest time. Pete had used his connections so that she wouldn't have to go to jail or anything – she even gets to keep her job. She almost chokes on that, at least she'll have a job, still be able to keep up repayments on her mortgage.

"We contemplated getting a mortgage once," she glances down at John, "well he and I - you and I – all the same really," she takes a peek out of the window – looks out at the sky, "He's out there somewhere, fighting for us, fighting for the planet" and she looks down at John, "and here I am saying goodbye, again." she shrugs hopelessly, "I wonder if he knows that your…" she quickly swipes at the tears on her face, "No," she bitterly laughs, "he can't know - another universe, another reality," she reaches out to stroke the hair from John's face, "My reality" she mutters, her eyes loving him, "soon you'll be gone and I'll have nothing left of the two of you," she pulls out her necklace from underneath her top and grips the key it holds between her fingers, "except this… do you remember when you gave this to me, it was before you regenerated," she laughs at the memories, "you had such big ears then and such cold eyes," she gives a little shiver, "I never told you but I loved you even then, even when you kept trying to keep me at arms length," Rose shrugs, "Of course I tried to fight it at first, tried to deny the feelings knowing that it would only lead to me being hurt; after all how could you ever love a girl like me? What is it you used to call me when you were angry 'a stupid ape'?" She wraps her hand around his, "Stupid for not walking away, stupid for letting myself fall deeper," she chokes back on the tears, "and you know what's even more stupid?" she bends over him so she can look once more into his face, "I wouldn't change a thing; I'd do it all over again – go through all the pain, all the heartaches, and do you know why?" She gently kisses his forehead, "cause you're worth it," she takes a deep breath and looks back out the window, "he's worth it and I hope he knows that; Sarah Jane told me something similar all those years ago- I wonder what she's doing now." She shrugs, "doesn't matter really – can't go and see her," Rose raises an eyebrow, "I'm stuck here."

She rubs her eyes, wiping away the tears, "So," she says brightly, "guess we'd better get you ready," making sure the sheets are all tucked in snug around him, "we've arrived," she looks out the window at the familiar beach, "Bad wolf bay – Bad Wolf, always bad wolf back then, leading me back to you," she takes a deep breath, "and now I guess – taking you away," she thoughtfully chews her bottom lip, "I just thought it seemed appropriate – this place, this time – right to say goodbye where it all began; think we should rename it Goodbye Bay, or the Bay of Goodbye-ing," she chuckles at the thought.

"The doors are open," Pete says, as he steps in the room, "if you're ready that is?"

Rose looks down at John, "Guess its time for our last adventure,"

Pete comes and puts a hand on her shoulder, "You're sure you're ready?"

She nods unable to say anymore as she picks up the portable life support aperatus that keeps John alive, watching as Pete lifts the man she loves into his arms, "Alonzy" she mutters as they step outside into the daylight.


	12. Rewards

_A/N: Do I need to tell you that i'm crying again? Probably not.... I dont want to say anything really, nothing i can say - im all choked up... :-(..._

Wilf watches the Doctor lying still in the radiation Chamber, waiting for some sign of life, some sign that the Doctor survives – but all he sees is a broken man lying to all purposes dead.

Slowly the Doctor regains reconsciousness, slowly carefully he pulls himself up.

"Hello," says Wilf shocked to see him awake,

He takes a deep steady breath, "Hi," it hurts to talk

"Still with us?"

Tired, so tired, he gently eases himself back onto his feet… feeling the radiation eating away at him. He points to the chamber, "System's dead," he says in a bored voice, "I absorbed it all. Whole thing's kaput" He presses the door and he shakes his head, "Now it opens, yeah!"

Wilf gives him a big smile, "Well, there we are then. Safe and sound. Mind you, you're in a hell of a state. You've got some battle scars there"

Safe and sound? Not now. He wipes his hands slowly down his face, his face… Every cell of his body is slowly being eaten away and already his body is repairing itself, changing….  
"It's started" he sighs, finally beaten… facing his end. Wilf comes over and gives him a hug but he's lost in memories, lost in regrets and fearful of whats coming… And that's when he decides he's not ready to go; not just yet. He takes Wilf home, promising to see him once more and sets off to get his reward.

Quickly he sets about visiting all the people that have been special to him; Martha, Mickey, Jack, Sarah Jane even the great granddaughter of Joan Redfern and he's so happy to see that they are settled and living the life he wished he could. Stopping one last time to visit Wilf, he stops to witness Donna leaving the church in her wedding gown, absolutely beautiful, shining with happiness. He continues to watch as Wilf and Sylvia make their way over, "Eh, here you are, hey?" Says Wilf dressed up to the nines, "Same old face. Didn't I tell you you'd be all right? Oh, they've arrested Mr Naismith. It was on the news. Crimes undisclosed. And his daughter. Both of 'em locked up. Yep… but… I keep thinking, Doctor, there's one thing you never told me. That woman – who was she? "

He looks from Wilf to Sylvia before swallowing hard as he glances at Donna, who is chatting to Nerys. He reaches into his pocket, "I just wanted to give you this wedding present," he pulls out an envelope and hands it to Wilf, "Thing is, I never carry money, so I just popped back in time. Borrowed a quid off a really lovely man," he glances at Sylvia, "Geoffrey Noble, his name was" Sylvia slaps a hand over a mouth visibly upset, "Have it he said," smiling trying to cry again, "have that one on me"  
He watches Wilf comfort his daughter as she begins to tear up, he gives them both a sympathetic as they turn and make their way over to Donna. He takes a deep breath satisfied that everyone will be happy when his gone, especially Donnas family when they win the lottery. His only wish was that he could have been around to see it happen.

"Oh well," he says to his ship as he shuts the door on the past, "thats that then…" He walks over to the console, "Everyone is happy, everyone is living a great life," he takes a deep breath closing his eyes, he's so very tired now, he quickly pulls a lever, pressing some buttons… unable to stop himself.

He stumbles out of the Tardis, trying to hold of his regeneration just so he can take one more look at her… just once more with these eyes. He stands in the shadows of the Powel Estate and watches hungrily as Rose strides through the snow. Rasilion, she's beautiful, he takes a deep breath wanting to reach out to her but knowing he can't. His head hurts, but not as much as his heart… Its breaking him not to be able to touch her, to be this close…  
"You all right, mate?" She asks as she spots him doubled over,  
How could he ever forget her voice, "Yeah," he replies wanting her to come over and help him, knowing she shouldn't  
"Too much to drink?"  
"Something like that"  
"Maybe it's time you went home"  
Home… maybe its time…"Yeah"  
"Anyway," she finishes with a warm smile, "Happy New Year!"  
"And you!" He watches as she goes away, but he's not ready to let her go – not yet, so he calls her back, "What year is this?"  
She gives him a funny look, "Blimey, how much have you had?" he shrugs unable to say anything, "2005, she continues, " January the first"  
" 2005," ah what a year that was… He looks over at her one more time with tears in his eyes, "Tell you what, I bet you're gonna have a really great year!"  
"Yeah?"  
He smiles, not daring to say anymore lest he make a complete fool of himself. He watches as she gives him a final wave, "See ya!" she says, and oh how he wishes he could see her once more… right now years into the future living her life with Him. He watches as she runs through the snow, watches till she disappears into the night as his body starts to die.


	13. Nearly Time

_A/N: OMG - I seriously can't say a word... no really... Im just too.... anyways.. I just want to say big thanks to those who read this story, also want to say bigger thanks to all those have written reviews... Really, it makes me smile to know you are all enjoying this... R&R peeps :-) _

Pete carefully places John on the sand, as Rose carefully places the portable life preserving apparatus beside him.  
"You'll be okay love yeah?" Asks Pete as he pulls her in for a hug  
Rose nods, unable to say anything and watches as Pete kneels down to check the machines, "You've got fifteen minutes before the err machines…"

"yeah," she replies absently bending down to wipe a smudge of dirt off John's cheek.

Jackie comes over with Rose's brother Tony and goes to stand beside Pete, "Is she gonna be okay?" she whispers to Pete, "Do you think I should sit with her?"

"I'll be okay mum," she quickly wipes her eyes and turns to flash a trembling smile at her family, "I'm fine," she looks sadly down at her baby brother, "I thought you were going to take this young man down the beach to collect some shells"

Tony smiles in excitement, "Gonna get some shells to put on a castle"

Rose nods as Pete takes her brother's hand and watches as they walk down to the sea.

"I couldn't bare to lose my boys," says Jackie breaking the silence, Rose looks up to see her mother staring at Pete and Tony. Jackie turns to look at her, "I know what your going through sweetheart"

Rose nods, "you should be with them"

Jackie blows her nose, her eyes tearing up, "I lost your father once and now I've found him again I couldn't face the grief the second time,"

"I'll be okay," but the words come out slurred…

"Oh sweetheart," Jackie sits down on the sand and takes her daughter into her arms, "I'm here for you sweetheart,"

She rests her head against her mother's shoulder, "I shouldn't be crying like this,"

"I'd be surprised if you didn't,"

Rose turns swiping the tears from her eyes taking a long look at John, "He wouldn't like to see me upset,"

"no, thats true," smiled Jackie, "he only ever wanted for you to be happy"

Rose chuckled, "He was so infuriating sometimes always trying to keep me safe when all I wanted to do was to stand by his side," she looked up to the sky, looked out across the bay to where Tony was holding something up in excitement, then she looked beyond him far into the distance, "I miss him mum," she mutters quietly, "I miss him so much"

"I know,"

Rose turned to look at Jackie, "Does it ever stop hurting?"

Jackie didn't have an answer, "I'm here Rose, I'm always here"

Rose placed a kiss on her mother's cheek, "Thanks mum," before turning towards John and taking his hand in hers… "His hand is warm"

"That's all those blankets you insisted on wrapping him up in,"

"Well I didn't want him to be cold," Rose said, running her fingers across his. She smiled, "He, I mean the Doctor, his hands were always cold"

"Always?"

Rose nodded, "It's a Time Lord thing,"

"Any other Time Lord things I don't know about?"

She sadly shrugged,

"What about in bed?"

"MUM!" Rose stared at her mother in disgust, "I told you it wasn't like that,"

"Not even here with John?"

Rose turned to look at him, "He wanted our first time to be special, we were gonna till after the wedding"

Jackie considered this for a moment, "But that means…" she pauses and counts off on her hand, "You haven't slept with a man since Mickey?"

"Mum, it doesn't matter"

"But Rose.."

Rose shakes her head as she continues to watch John breath oxygen into his lungs, "He was different, we had so much more than just sex," she took a deep breath, "I wish I could explain it; its like when we were together nothing else seemed to matter," she reached out and traced his face with a finger, "He made me laugh so much, always full of enthusiasm, full of energy," she chuckled, "Sometimes he was like a big kid." She looked up across the beach and watched Tony talking to his dad, "He would have made a great Dad"

Jackie chuckled, "Could you imagine how much energy need to keep up with them?"

"Well we'll never know now," Rose said sadly sliding closer to John imagining babies that would never be born, "Ten minutes left," she says as she carefully places her head across his chest, "Oh mum I'm so scared…"

Jackie moved so her hand was on her daughters back, trying to support her the only way she knew how.

"What am I going to do without him?"

"Shhh, love, it will be okay"

"It hurts mum, it hurts," Rose gasps as she wraps her arms around John, desperately holding on, "Its like," she takes another breath, "there's a hole," she sniffs, "a hole in my life where he should be – and I'm so lonely; without him I don't know what I'm gonna do.." Rose turns and allows her mother to take her into her arms, "I don't want to say goodbye mum, I can't – not again"

"Shh shh," her mother croons holding her close in her arms, "You don't have to say goodbye if you don't want to"

Rose looks back down at John, "I don't want to see him when he's…"

Jackie nods, "I'll sit with him if you want to go somewhere else, he'd understand"

Rose nods, "I love you mum,"

"I know sweetheart"

Rose turns to look at John once more, "I love you," she gently blows him a kiss and quickly walks off down the beach just as Tony comes bounding back, "Where'd Rosy go?" he asked  
Jackie watched her daughter walk away, "She just needed to be by herself for a little while"  
"But I got her a present," he pouts, "Its a good'en"  
Jackie smiled sadly at her son, "I'm sure it is, but Rose is upset at the moment let her be,"  
Tony puts his head to the side, not quite understanding, "Can you give it to her when she gets back, it might cheer her up?"  
Jackie nods and lets Tony push something into her hand, "I'll look after it for her, why don't you go find some more shells with your dad?"  
Tony nods, already running off. Jackie sadly turns to look down at John, then looks at the timer counting down silently in the background, "Its nearly time for you to go"

_A/N: We're not finished yet - hang in there... I gotta go stock up on the kleenex..  
I just read this and erm noticed a few glitches so its been edited and so forth and should hopefully read better... _


	14. goodbyes

The Doctor stumbles across the Powel estate trying to make it back to the Tardis. Each step more painful than the next, each step taking him closer to his death. He sobs as the pain becomes too much and he finds himself lying on the ground eyes clenched shut in agony. This is it, he thinks, he can't go on anymore – so tired. Suddenly he hears a haunting melody and opens his eyes to find Ood Sigma standing in the snow.  
"We will sing to you Doctor, the universe will sing you to your sleep"  
The Doctor pushes himself back onto his feet, pain in ever movement, and he focuses on putting one foot in front of the other.

"Five minutes left," Jackie says, checking the clock again. She looks down at John, "She loves you, a lot," she takes a deep breath, "I should by rights hate you for always hurting her like this – but…" Jackie dabs at the tears on her face, "I miss you too you daft alien," she shakes her head, "but still cant believe that you an her weren't going at it like bunnies – the two of you in you in that box together," she looks down the beach to where Rose is sitting staring out over the bay, "I hope she's okay"

Rose sits on the sand hugging her knees as she looks out across the sea remembering the past; "There's one tiny little gap in the universe left, just about to close. And it takes a lot of power to send this projection, I'm in orbit around a super nova." The Doctor laughs, his image flickers, "I'm burning up a sun just to say goodbye" How long ago was that, she wonders, it seems so long ago now. She was nineteen when she first took his hand, she shakes her head, now she feels so old and tired older than her years. "And here you are," he had said all those years ago in this very same spot, "Living a life day after day. The one adventure I can never have"  
"Hah!" she moans kicking sand into the air, "What an adventure?! Must do it again sometime…" If he were now she'd…

The Doctor continues his slow walk towards the Tardis, the Ood's song filling the air helping him find the strength to take his next step, "This song is ending," says Ood Sigma, "but the story never ends"  
He clenches his teeth, the pain unbearable, and manages to get reach the door of the Tardis and quickly unlocks stepping inside and falling against the door as it closes behind him. He gets up the ramp, supporting himself on the rails, and removes his duster, throwing it over a beam before looking at his right hand, which is glowing with the energy of regeneration. He stares at it knowing he can't stop it, its really happening. He's going to cry again, he swallows, and moves over to the console watching his hand operate the controls for the last time.

"Three minutes left," Jackie shakes her head as she takes hold of John's hand, "You're breaking my daughter's heart," Jackie stares back at her daughter, "She may never be the same again"

Not much time left, Rose thinks, taking a peek over her shoulder. She really should be with him but… She's going to break down, going to cry, and its going to be messy. Oh God, she thinks, help me get through this. Part of her wants to run back down to John's side and scream at him to wake up… why doesn't he wake up? "Am I ever gonna see you again?"  
"You can't" he replies in a memory.  
Breath, Breath, Breath.  
"That's me when we first met," he'd said, "And you made me better. And now you can do the same for him," She laughs, no one can save John – its too late.

The Doctor feels lost waiting for his end, waiting to die, he's going to miss his ship, he's going to miss his face and he's going to miss his memories of her… There's so much he wanted to do and now he won't get the chance. "I don't wanna go" he cries.

"Sweetheart," Jackie leans over John watching the clock tick into the final minute, "This is goodbye – we're going to miss you"

Rose shakes her head, he can't leave her again, he can't she has to stop him. She quickly jumps up and runs down the beach just in time to see her mother saying goodbye. "No!" she screams as tears fall down her face. She pushes her mother out of the way, "He's got to wake up""  
Jackie tries to grab hold of Rose, "Stop it Rose, you have to stop it"  
"Wake up," she screams shaking John's body, "Wake Up you stupid Time Lord!" Rose begins to tremble, as the tears fall down her face, suddenly realising what she's done. She tenderly looks down at John, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry," she moans as she desperately tries to straighten his pyjamas, "I hurt you" she takes a deep breath and looks down at the clock drawing closer to zero, "I don't want you to go!" she cries…

The regenerative energy intensives, whilst he fights against it, the energy burns his face as he fights for breath. He doesn't want this, doesn't want to die yet, but its too late and he cries as the process of regeneration takes full effect. The force of the change shoots flames through the Tardis and it starts to break apart and burn. That's it, he can't fight it anymore and he finally closes his eyes and surrenders.

"Let him go love," says Jackie gently prising Rose away from John's now still body, "he's gone…"  
Rose shakes her head, "He can't be, he can't be," Rose pulls out of her mother's arms and rushes over to John and puts her hands over his chest, desperately checking for his heart beat. "Breath Dammit," she moans, as she pushes down on his chest, "Breath," she cries, "Breath"  
"Rose, sweetheart," Jackie eases her away from John, "Come on, he's gone now"  
"No, he can't…"  
Jackie gently makes Rose look into her eyes, "He's gone,"  
"Oh mum!" she cries clinging to her mothers top as her knee's give out. Jackie follows Rose onto the sand and gently rocks her daughter's body as she cries her heart out, her body shaking with shock. Jackie shakes her head listening to her daughter gasping between tears and it just doesn't seem fair – none of it.

Pete sadly covers John's face with a sheet as he listens to his step daughter's cries fill the air. He looks up at the sky shaking his head; sometimes life just wasn't fair.  
"Daddy," Pete turns to see his son staring up at him, "Has John gone to sleep now"  
Pete nods his head, "He's with the angels..."  
"Is that why Rosy is crying?"  
Pete kneels down so he can pull his son into his arms, "yes son, that's why she's crying"  
Tony wriggles out of his arms and bounds off to pick something off the ground, "Look, mum dropped my present for Rose," Tony turned to his dad, "do you think i should give it to her now - it may cheer her up"  
Pete shakes his head and holds his arms out to his son, "Not today son, not today"  
Tony sadly throws the gift on the floor no longer caring about the gift as he runs into his Daddy's arms for a big hug.

_A/N: OMG.... give me like a minute.... or whatever.. that was hard... like really hard to write... I feel like a wreck....  
okay this isnt the end... not yet... i just need a little while..... to err recover.... chocolate anyone? _


	15. Picking up the pieces

_A/N: We're getting closer to the end peeps.... and you'll be pleased to know I'm not crying... not any more cause I got me a plan :-)  
Please also be aware that I don't own Doctor who, but if you know where i can find him I wouldnt mind owning the tenth doctor - so if u got one u want to offload I'm willing to take him off your hands :-} _

Pete sits holding his son in his arms, watching over the empty shell of the man his step daughter loved.

"Are we gonna leave him here?" asks Tony in a small voice as he clings to his dads shirt,

"No, but I don't want to move him just yet not until I've spoken to your mother, and speaking of the devil," he says looking up as Jackie sadly makes her way towards him. "How is she?" he asks,

Jackie glances back to where she left Rose, now quietly sobbing in the sand, and shakes her head, "She's heartbroken, its taken me half an hour to calm her down; I thought I was going to have to inject her with a sedative," she looks down at John's body, "We really should move him back onto the ship"

Pete looks down at the body, then looks over at Rose, "I thought maybe once she's calmed down…"

"No," says Jackie shaking her head, "I don't think that would be a good idea… the smallest thing is going to set her off again"

Pete nods his head and slowly bends down beside the body, "Sad day this…"

"Yeah," she agrees bending down beside him, "Its sad to see him like this," she lets her head fall onto Pete's shoulder and takes a shaky breath, "we've lost him and now I wonder if we've lost Rose as well…"

"Oh love," he says placing a kiss on Jackie's head, "She'll be okay, she's strong like her mother," he pauses, "You know I love you Jackie?"

"Yeah I know, and I guess I love you too"

"As it should be Jax love," he chuckles, "As it should be"

They sit there just holding each other in silence until Jackie reaches forward to pick something up, "What's this?" she asks picking the object up and studying it in her hands.

Pete stares at it and shrugs, "just some old fob watch Tony found on the beach, he wanted to give it to Rose"

Jackie turns the watch over in her hands, "Could be worth something this"

"It's just an old fob watch love," dismisses Pete as he carefully gets up onto his feet, "Just scrap…"

She stands up waving the fob watch in the air, "But we could sell it…"

He shakes his head, "We have money Jackie, you forget I'm the head of Vitex industries I'm a multi billionaire"

"I guess so," she says throwing it to the ground" as Pete starts packing up. "Maybe I'll go see how Rose is"

"You do that love," says Pete as he starts to take stuff back to the ship.

Tony sneaks over and picks up the fob watch wondering whether he should keep it. He quickly finds somewhere to sit down and look at it. He runs his fingers over the design on the watch, lets his fingers trace around the tiny little circles etched into the surface and then tries to pull it open, "It's stuck," he mutters in disgust and throwing it on the ground in a huff and then quickly running off to search for more treasure.

As the watch hits the ground it softly opens whispering its secrets into the air…


	16. Waking up

_A/N: (Girlie screams!!!) Finally the good stuff...._

I must be dead sighs the Doctor as he opens his eyes to find darkness. The regeneration must have gone wrong; is there an afterlife, he wonders. Many cultures had such beliefs but he, himself, had never really considered it; well there was that one time in the Satin Pit… Maybe this was how he was going to spend eternity – shrouded in blackness.

"What are you doing!?" screamed a familiar voice, "I told you to behave yourself – the minute I turn my back your misbehaving. Do you want me to put you over my knee?"

Maybe he's ended up in hell; after all he deserves it… Is there a hell..?? If there was one he'd imagine Jackie would be one of his tormentors – tracking him down so she can deliver one of her hard slaps…

Rasilion, he hopes there isn't a coachload of randy pensioners nearby…

Eternity spent running from frantic mothers and randy pensioners…. Can you take your own life in hell?

He wonders if he can redeem himself here and find a way into heaven… Rose would be there he's sure, an eternity of Rose… smiling… forever…

And that's when he hears her voice, "He's gone mum; he's left me." Oh Rasilion, Shes crying and it breaks his heart- another punishment…. Hasn't he been punished enough?

He can hear her tears, feel them on the wind and he can't help but call out her name, "Rose?"

Rose screams, "My God I can still hear his voice,"

Jackie turns to stare down at him in a daze, "I think he's breathing"

Rose shakes her head, not wanting to look at the body, not wanting to see the dead shell that once was John, "Stop it mum, please… I can't" she begs

Jackie peers closer and tentatively pulls the sheet from over his face, "Jackie don't hit me!" he begs and Jackie jumps back as though shocked, "You're alive!!"

"Am I?" he sighs, "Funny I thought I was dead, could have sworn this was hell" he looks up in the sky, "Is that a Zeppelin?" He takes another look around him, "but that must mean…"

"John?" suddenly there she is, teary eyed her face a mess.. but its Rose, his Rose, "John your alive" she says hardly daring to believe that he was there looking at her with those warm brown eyes.

"Rose, am I in heaven?"

She shakes her head in wonder, "No love…" She steps closer as if in a daze and kneels down beside him, "You're alive" she says with a smile, "John you're Alive!!" She gets closer and wraps her arms around his neck and holds him tight, "I thought you'd left me" she sobs.

The Doctor pulls back from Rose, "John?" He says, now focusing on the beach, on the Zeppelins flying overhead and on the people surrounding him, "Dårlig Ulv Stranden, this is where we said goodbye before…"

"Yeah," says Rose as she stares at him in wonder, "I thought I was losing you," she shrugged sadly taking his hand in hers, "I brought you here to say goodbye," she takes a deep breath, "I'm so glad you're alive"

"What about the Tardis?"

"Oh," says Rose as she anxiously looks over at Jackie, then back at him, "John, how much can you remember?" she asks looking into his eyes and checking his pupils.

He stares at Rose in confusion, "I was dying…"

Rose nods sadly, "That was two years ago – you fell into a coma"

"No, I was on the Tardis, about to regenerate…"

Rose nods in sympathy, "That was how you were born, you, well I mean the Doctor was shot and was about to regenerate – but he stopped it by transferring the energy into his severed hand and," she says with a small smile, "that's how I got you John"

The Doctor shakes his head trying to make sense of everything, "I'm the Doctor, Rose, the REAL Doctor. Two years ago I left you here on this beach with my clone"

Rose anxiously looked back at Jackie and Jackie shrugged, "Maybe he's a bit delusional…"

Rose looked back at him, as she chewed her lip nervously, "John?"

"No," he sighs taking her hand in his and placing it against his hearts, "Two hearts Rose, I'm the Doctor"

Rose jumped back away from him as though burnt her eyes wide open in shock, shaking her head from side to side in denial. "It's impossible," she cries, cradling her hand against her chest, "You can't be here… you said it was impossible"

He watches as Jackie pulls her daughter protectively into her arms wishing he didn't see the fear in her face, "As far as I knew it was impossible. I should be dead, I shouldn't be here. Last I remember I was dying on the Tardis after visiting you for the last time," he swipes a tear from his eye, "January 1st 2005, I watched you walk across the estate, I was in so much pain that I almost collapsed and you asked me if I was alright…"

"Oh My God," Rose cried out, "I remember – I thought you were drunk"

He smiles, "The state I was in I'm not surprised"

Rose tentatively reached out a hand and touched his cheek, "It's really you," she whispers slowly

"It's really me," he says with a grin, "Alive, Rose, alive"

_A/N: TBC ....._


	17. comfort

_A/N: OMG - I'm crying again, serously... I should own shares in Kleenex the way I'm going through them at the moment. This is supposed to be happy! (silently aiming a gun at evil plot bunny)  
Ok... big thanks to my reviewers... seriously you spur me on guys, R&R... 10th Doctor is mine - end of..._

_Rose tentatively reached out a hand and touched his cheek, "It's really you," she whispers slowly_

"_It's really me," he says with a grin, "Alive, Rose, alive"_

Jackie stares at him shaking her head, then turns to look at Rose, "He's the Doctor?"

Rose nods, her eyes never leaving his.

"But if he's the Doctor..." continued Jackie.

Rose holds up a hand, "Mum, can you leave us"

Jackie shakes her head, "I don't think that's a good idea,"

"MUM!" Rose mutters turning to glare at her, "Just go check on Tony or something," she studies her mothers mutinous expression, "Please…"

Jackie shakes her head and muttered under her breath as she turned and walked off to find her son.

The Doctor and Rose watch as Jackie walks away, "Still the same Jackie I see," he says with a smile

Rose's smile slipped as she turned to face him, "But if you're you…" she turned to peer down the beach chewing anxiously on her lip, "Where's John?"

"My double? Oh" He says rolling his eyes, avoiding her, scared to see the disappointment in them, "I don't know," he mutters with a frown.

"But he was lying right there," she says pointing at the space where the Doctor lay, "right there," she takes a deep breath, "that's where he died"

"Oh," he says again, he looks back at her standing in front him; looks at the sadness in her eyes, "you want him back," he sighs disappointed.

Rose nods, looking sadly at the ring shining on her left hand, she chokes on a sob, "We were gonna get married"

The Doctor looks up at the sun in the sky and ponders on the irony of it all; this is what he'd wanted after all her and his double living the life he couldn't. But he never thought he'd be here to see – out of sight, out of mind, wasn't that the old Earth saying? He looks at her grieving for her love and insanely finds himself jealous; he almost chuckles at the universe's cruel joke, jealous of himself for Rasilions sake.

"you've gone quiet," she says,

"I'm just trying to get my head around this whole situation,

"you were never normally this quiet," she says with a fond smile, "Sometimes I never could get a word in edgeways"

"Long time ago that" he says staring at her, remembering his first sight of her in these eyes, how he'd found himself wanting to impress her with his big words, "Such a long time ago," he says with a sigh, "I've changed," he looks at Rose sadly, "you've changed"

"Yeah," she takes a big breath before sinking down beside him on the sand, "I often thought about you," she says staring out at the sea, "wondered what you and Donna were up to"

"I had to let her go" he quietly says, still feeling the guilt eating away at him,

"Oh," she says turning so she can see his face as she takes his hand in hers – trying to comfort him, "I'm sorry…"

He shakes his head, "Didn't have a choice…not really" he closed his eyes remembering the day he'd taken Donna's memories,

Rose stared at his hand in hers and cleared her throat, "So you found someone else," she took a deep breath, "another companion"

"No, I…" he stared down at their linked hands, "I couldn't face the pain of losing anyone else"

Rose stared at his lowered head in silence and wished she could reach out and comfort him, but unsure whether she could or not.

He shrugs looking down at the sand not seeing it at all, "It was ok for a while, had a few crazy adventures…" he looked back at their linked hands, felt the warmth of her hand holding his, then looked out to sea lost once more to painful memories, "It started to go wrong, I started to go wrong," he takes a huge breath, "I… lost my way"

Rose stared at him sadly, stared at the tears in his eyes, the regret, the pain; he reminded her of himself when they first met and it breaks her heart to see him so vulnerable, so broken. She pulls his head against her shoulder and wraps her arms around him, and he surrenders himself to her as he cries for all he's done and for all his lost. Rose holds him tight, her own tears silently falling down her face, rubbing his back wishing she could ease his pain, "It's okay," she mutters, "It's okay"

He takes a deep breath, trying to halt the tears not wanting her to see him like this, and yet needing her. "I thought about you too," he says finally, blinking away the moisture in his eyes sitting back so he can look at her again, "I missed you," a lot, he added silently, still unable to say out loud just how much she means to him.

Rose sadly smiled back at him, "I know," reaching out to trace the wetness on his cheek, "Its been a long time"

He stares at her, stares at the woman she's become, how tired she is, "He treated you okay, yeah?"

Rose looked away as she thought of the past two years, "Yeah, brilliant, he was brilliant," she muttered bleakly feeling guilty for sitting here with the Doctor when… "He lapsed into a coma months after you left," she choked out, the words harsh on her lips.

Oh Rasilion, he mutters feeling terrible, wishing he'd known, wishing….

"He just faded away" she continued, "Every day, more and more, until," she takes a deep breath, "I couldn't let him go," He gently squeezed her hand, "I had him moved to a medical facility," she continued, "Kept his body on life support; visiting everyday – hoping for a change," she shrugged sadly, "until… I lost it" she grimly chuckles, "I went a little mad, scared a lot of people" she looks over at her mother in the distance and grimaces, "I hurt her, but she forgave me"

"She loves you"

Rose nodded, "and I hurt her- but she came throught for me; convinced Pete to let me bring John here…"

The Doctor nods and they both sit there in silence, lost in their thoughts, lost in grief.

"I'm sorry," he says again, wondering how many times he'd have to say it before he could forgive himself, before she forgave him,

"Not your fault," she says unable to look at him,

"I should have been here…"

Rose shrugged, "Its all in the past now, not much we can do about it"

"I'd bring him back if I could," he mutters hurting to see her heartbroken over another man,

"I know," she says with a sigh, as she lets her head fall back onto his shoulder, "I know"

_A/N: More to come, I just - need to go compose myself..._


	18. The watch

_A/N: Okay, here we again... I've found this hard... really hard... Writing the last bit was easy - the explanation of the watch not so.... it may be slightly ooc... and even a bit sketchy... but I just want to be clear that the Doctor is only guessing at what's happened... he still really hasn't got a clue... Anyways... I love the last bit - got a bit of a silly grin on my face now... I'll shut up now - big big cheer to those who have reviewed this story - I really love to hear your thoughts..._

As they sit there by the sea the Doctor spots something on the sand glittering in the sunlight and he quickly reaches out and picks it up.

"What have you found?" asks Rose, peaking over his shoulder,

He stares at the fob watch in his hands, traces the Galifrayan symbols on the front, "Do you know where this came from?" he finally asks,

Rose shakes her head, "Never seen it before," she looks at the strange expression on the Doctor's face, "Do you recognise it?"

The Doctor nods, "It's a fob watch, a special fob watch…"

"Whats so special about it?"

"It's a piece of Time Lord technology," he takes a deep breath as he runs his hand over the casing of the watch, "I've only used it once," he rubs his ear thoughtfully as he stares at it.

Rose leans closer, staring at the watch in question, "What does it do?"

"It doesn't do anything, " he says quietly, turning the watch over in his hands, "On the Tardis there's a Chameleon Arch, I only ever used it once," he grimaces as he remembers the painful episode, "It alters my biology so no one can recognise me as a Time Lord"

"Sounds painful," she says looking at his face

"Yeah," he gestures to the watch in his hand, "This is used to store the Gallifreyan biological information, this stores all my thoughts and memories so that once I need to change back I can"

"So," says Rose, taking from his hands, "When you open the watch your body changes back…" He nods anxiously staring at Rose's face, waiting for her reaction. "So," she continues, "do you think it has something to do with what happened to you and John?"

"Yeah, but," he takes a deep breath as he runs his fingers through his hair, agitated, trying to figure the puzzle out, "I don't understand, " he says shaking his head, "I haven't used the Chameleon Arch – not since…" he mumbles on under his breath.

"Doctor?" interrupts Rose, "Tell me what your thinking"

"I'm thinking this is impossible – John was half human…" he says shaking his head, "This watch shouldn't even be here," he looks at Rose again taking her hand in his, "I think, somehow, all my biological information found its way into the watch, somehow it found its way here and someone opened it," he takes a deep breath, "and…"

Rose shakes her head sadly, "John was dead anyway – I just couldn't face it"

"I'm sorry Rose I don't know why or how this happened," he says with a sigh, "Usually I retain memories from before the… but there's nothing of him in here," he says gesturing to his head, "nothing"

Rose sadly shakes her head, unable to speak as tears roll down her cheeks. The Doctor shakes his head sadly as he takes her into his arms and holds her close against his hearts.

"So, " says Rose quietly gently moving from his arms, "What will you do now?"

He shrugs letting his arms fall limp by his side, "No Tardis; guess I'm stuck here"

Rose nods and reaches for his hand again, "Torchwood is always looking for experts on aliens," she looks at the sky, "Maybe, you could erm work with me"

"Oh I don't know," he says,

Rose sighs sadly rejected, "Just an idea"

"Oh its not you," he says quickly, giving her a small smile, "I'd love to work with you"

"then why??"

"Torchwood has guns rose," he shudders in horror, "I'm just not the gun type"

"I know that," she says with a laugh, "I wasn't suggesting a military position, I thought maybe an advisory position…"

"What stuck behind a desk all day.."

"You think I could?" she laughs, "I have to go out sometimes, the aliens don't come to my office"

He chuckles, "Don't imagine they would"

"Sometimes I have to travel, go investigate strange events, check out possible alien sightings"

He smiles, "bit like old times"

"Yeah,"

They sit looking out at the sea again, both wanting to say more, both afraid to.

"I'd have to find a flat," he says finally,

"yeah"

"Maybe even a mortgage," he jokes staring at her face remembering a conversation from long ago.

She feels his eyes on her and shakes her head, "I can't…" she takes a deep breath, "time, I need time," she finally says.

He nods his head in understanding, his hopes dashed, "I know,"

"It's not you," she says finally, "its just you look just like him," she says taking a deep breath, "I couldn't deal with seeing you in the flat everyday, the flat that he and I once shared,"

"Do you want me to go away?" he says finally unable to look at her.

"No," she says quickly, "I don't want you to go,"

"Okay," he says slowly, "I'll come work with you," he says giving her one of his grins, "But…"

Rose nods, "no guns, I understand"

"Bananas are much better"

Rose giggles, "Next time some alien attacks I'll remember to throw a banana at it"

"and waste the banana!" he says horrified, "Bananas are for eating; I tell you what – you give me the banana and I'll sort the alien out for you, agreed?"

"But how are you gonna do that without your sonic screwdriver?"

"Oh," he shrugs sadly, "I guess I'll have to make myself a new one"

"Just like that?" Rose says in disbelief,

He shakes his head, "Simple electronics Rose,"

"If it was that simple everyone would carry one"

"Ah but they haven't got the brain of a Time Lord," he says with a little smirk.

Rose looks at the Doctor, and he holds his breath scarcely daring to believe the emotions in her eyes, "you know," she says with a warm smile, "I'm so glad to see you again"

"Yeah?" he says tears welling up in his eyes again,

"Yeah,"

"Well," he says blinking away the moisture in his eyes, "I'm glad to see you too." He wants to say more, wants to say those words that always get stuck in his throat, those words he should have said before; but he can't, John beat him to it and now…he shrugs silently staring at her with longing, wishing he could show her just how much she means to him. "Friends," he says quietly cursing himself all the while,

"Friends" she says holding his hand a little bit tighter. She looks back over at her mother watching them in the distance, "Guess we'd better let them know what's going on"

"Yeah, guess so"

Rose turns to look at his face again, looks at the pain in his eyes and quickly places a kiss on his cheek, "Come on," she says standing up, pulling him up with her, "I'll race you down the beach," she flashes him a quick grin, "you do remember how to…"

"Run!" shouts the Doctor quickly running ahead of her.

Rose smiles and runs after him, her Doctor.

_A/N: I could leave it there, really I could... but.... Naaahhh!!_


	19. Sonic Screwdriver

_A/N: Okay peeps next chapter... I am so loving this and i hope you do to... its taken me HOURS to do this one chapter just trying to get the Doctor right.. and i hope you get it... really i do... I'm all happy now...:-) :-) Gonna go have a little victory dance..._

The Doctor sits at his desk working on his sonic screwdriver as Rose types up reports across the room. It's been a month since he'd found himself here in this universe, a month since he'd seen his tardis, a month without his sonic screwdriver; he sighs as he adjusted his glasses, taking a closer look at the replacement.

"Have you got that thing working yet?" asks Rose as she perches on the edge of his desk

"Almost," he mutters checking over the casing, "Almost"

Rose shakes her head, "You've been working on that thing for over a month..."

"Thing?" he says frowning looking up at her over his glasses, before looking back down at the tool in question, "Its not a thing Rose, its a multi-functioning sonic device, or," he says gripping it tight in his hand, "a sonic screwdriver!" He pointed it to his desk drawer and smiled as he listened to it unlocking the drawer.

"Hey, you did it!" congratulated Rose

The Doctor shrugged with a self satisfied smirk, "Of course, I told you simple electronics - just a matter of finding the right parts"

Rose chuckled, "Well if your done I need that report on the crop circles in Somerset,"

The Doctor groaned, "Rose, must I… Can't we just go somewhere, anywhere!"

"You're not enjoying this at all," she sighed, and he watched in abject fascination as she slipped her tongue out between her teeth. Rose frowned as she caught his stare, "You okay?"

"I'm Fine," he says with a little cough before focusing at his sonic screwdriver again, "I think this needs adjusting," he mutters checking it over again.

"John," Rose says reaching out to touch his cheek.

"I'm not John Rose!" he shouts as he jerks his face away

Rose takes a deep breath and quickly wipes a tear from her cheek, "I know…I'm sorry Doctor, it's just…"

"I know," he says standing up and putting his hands on her shoulders, "I'm sorry I shouldn't have shouted at you like that," he gives her a little smile, "Forgive me?"

Rose stares at him, her lips jerking up, "Is that a smile I see?" he says grinning,

"No," she says trying to repress the smile, but as he peers closer she can't quite do it.

"Hah, see the muscles flexing at the side of the mouth, a brightening of the eyes – ergo a smile!"

Rose giggled and the Doctor reaches out and pulls her into a hug, "I'm sorry Rose," he says serious now, standing back so he can look at her, "I'm just…" he pinches his nose and looks up, "just fed up, you know, I miss…" he looked out the window and stares at the zeppelins flying by.

"The Tardis," she says with a little sigh,

He nods sadly, "She wasn't just a ship Rose, she was my friend and I guess my last link with…"

Rose takes his hand in hers, "You're not alone Doctor, I'm here…"

"I know," he says with a little smile, "and I'm glad you're here really," he shrugs, "I guess I'm just not used to being in the same place for so long"

"Well in that case maybe there is something I can do for you," she said with a grin, "I have to go look over one of Cybus Industry's factories over in Manchester"

The Doctor frowned, "Cybus Industries, wasn't that…"

"Yeah John Lumic's company, the factories used to produce cybermen are currently owned by torchwood, at least until they have been thoroughly gutted, but it's taking longer than they thought"

"But it's been years…"

Rose shrugged, "I agree, should have just blown them all up, but Torchwood thinks there maybe stuff of interest in the factories – so they are sending in teams of experts to check the sites over"

"Humans," says the Doctor shaking his head, "sometimes I wonder how they managed to find their way out of the trees…"

"Hey you!" says Rose jabbing him in the chest, "I'll have you know I'm human"

The Doctor chuckled, "So you are," he said planting a kiss on her nose, "my beautiful human Rose,"

"Beautiful?" Rose stared at him in astonishment,

The Doctor quickly paced away from her, "anyway, as I was saying, why can't humans leave some things alone! What could they possibly hope to find in a factory, that was essentially, a human slaughter house?" He quickly turned to Rose in horror, "You're not one of the experts are you?"

Rose shook her head, "No, technology is not my area of expertise,"

"So what is?"

Rose gave him a little grin, "Alien relations"

"Ahhh!" he says leaning against the wall, "that would include me then, I'm alien"

"I guess you are," she teased, "You gonna tell me how I'm doing?"

The Doctor stroked his chin thoughtfully, "Well I've never had to deal with alien relations before, but I guess your doing okay"

"Only okay?"

"Well I only ever see you at work," Rose shook her head and tried to interrupt, but he ignored her and carried on, "and, and…" he said working himself up, "you dumped me on your mother!" he shakes his head, "Much as I adore your mother, really I do, living in the same house as her is…"

"It was really nice of her and Pete to let you move in with them," says Rose, crossing her arms over her chest, "you're being rude again"

"Rose, seriously I'm grateful, it's just all that domesticity," he says with a grimace, "just not me"

Rose takes a deep breath, "What do you expect me to do? I offered to go flat hunting with you…"

"I don't want to live in small flat on my own, I'd get lonely" he pouted.

Rose put a hand over her mouth trying to hide the smile on her face, "so what do you suggest…"

"Well, I know you wouldn't want me to share the flat you shared with _him_…"

"Him?" she said with a frown, "you say that like you didn't like him…"

He tugged his ear uneasily, "Well I didn't really know him…"

"But you said he was the same man as you, you said.."

"I know what I said" he said looking down at the floor, "but that was two years ago, we both would have changed since then"

Rose stared at him in shock, "You're jealous!"

"Jealous?" he shook his head still not able to face her, "Jealous of myself, that would be stupid.. really stupid…" he took out his sonic screwdriver and turned it on close to his ear, "Doesn't sound right you know, really should go adjust it…" he made his way back over to his desk,

"Sounds okay to me"

Doctor nodded distracted, "to human ears maybe, but my hearings more sensitive – its slightly out…" he slowly started taking the sonic screwdriver apart,

"Doctor…"

"Hmmm"

"We were talking…"

"Lumic?" he looked up at her over his glasses, "hmm, so what is it you need to go into the factory for?"

Rose shakes her head, fustrated, "Someone tried to break into the site…"

The Doctor shrugged, "What's that got to do with alien relations?"

"the cctv footage – whoever broke in wasn't human"

He quickly puts down his screwdriver and grins, "Hey that's fantastic"

"How is that fantastic?"

"Contact with another species; Earth is getting noticed again"

Rose frowned, "I don't think you understand Doctor – they broke into the cybermen factory…"

The Doctor shrugged, "Maybe they were just curious…"

"I thought you'd be more concerned considering"

"Of course I'm concerned – the technology in those factories is dangerous don't want it falling into the wrong hands, besides," he pauses as he quickly reassembles his sonic screwdriver, "its has to be better than looking at crop circles Rose," he grins as he gets up and pulls on his coat, "Finally get to meet someone other than a human…"

"I'm trying hard not to be insulted here"

"I told you," he says with a shrug, "you're different." He quickly heads for the door…

"Where are you going?" asks Rose with a frown,

"To the factory"

"Now? I haven't even said you can come yet"

The Doctor shakes his head, "Rose, why else would you bring it up? Besides I'm the expert,"

Rose just shakes her head, "Fine, you can come… but I'm in charge" she says as she quickly pushes past him and stands by the door, "you have to follow my lead"

The Doctor slowly nods his assent, "your in charge, got it."

She chuckles, "this should be interesting"

"Oh its going to be really interesting Rose," he says as he steps closer and puts his hands around her waist, Rose stares up at him unable to move – her eyes on his, "It will be very interesting," he moves so his lips are close to hers and she can barely breath, "but the leader has to say something first…" he says, his hand reaching out behind her…

"What?" replies Rose somewhat breathless…

The Doctor gently moves Rose aside before opening the door and striding down the corridor, "Allons-y!" he shouts; he stops suddenly when he realises she's not following and holds out his hand to her, "are you coming?" he says with a grin.

Rose shakes her head and stomps up to him, "I really should be angry with you…"

"But you're not going to be Rose" he says wriggling his fingers at her, "come on – just like old times…"

Rose stares at his hand, "Oh, what the hell…" she puts her hand in his, "Just this once"

"Just this once," repeats the Doctor looking down at their joint hands, "Come on," he says, "Can't stand here all day…" he points down the corridor, "Allons-y"


	20. Bananas are good

"We've taken down the cybermen,

We've powered down their core

And now we stand triumphant..."

(noise)

"The British President is meeting the .."

"Doctor!" Rose swiped the Doctors hand from the radio dial and turned it off, "Leave it okay?"

The Doctor pouted, "But Rose.."

Rose shook her head, "Doctor I can't concentrate on driving with you flicking through the radio channels"

"You could always let me drive..."

She turned to look at him and lifted an eyebrow, "You got a driving license?"

He grinned and produced a piece of paper. Rose looked it over with a stern eye, "hmmm says here John Smith has passed his cycle proficiency test"

The Doctor puzzled quickly gazed at the paper and stared accusingly at Rose, "It says John Smith is licensed to drive"

"You think I can't tell its psychic paper?"

He stared at her in shock, "you knew?"

"Yeah, I knew"

"How?"

She shrugged, "We at Torchwood have our ways," and she tapped her nose in a secretive manner,

He turned slightly and looked at her closely, "Psychic training?"

Rose bit her lip, "Er not exactly, more like noticing a certain Timelord this morning sneaking into my desk and taking the psychic paper"

"It was mine anyway," he reasoned before glaring at her, "You spied on me!"

"Not spying," she reasoned remembering how she'd been about to walk into her office when she'd noticed the Doctor bending over her desk. Curious she'd stood by the door staring at his lovely...

"I'd call it spying, " he shook his head, "you never used to spy on me"

Rose bit her lip and turned to stare at the road remembering all the times she'd stood in a corner unnoticed watching him work on the Tardis thinking about his hands...

"Parallel Earth to Rose.." he tapped her shoulder, "Rose.."

She stared at his hand for a moment, "Err"

The Doctor put on his glasses and Rose mentally groaned, "Are you okay Rose?" he peered closely at her and went to take out his sonic screwdriver...

"I'm fine, I'm fine," she sputtered before indicating and steering into another road, she mentally crossed her fingers, "I've never spied on anyone I just noticed the paper missing this morning and reasoned you'd taken it," she squirmed slightly and tried to keep her eyes on the road, "to anyone else its just a blank piece of paper only you'd know what it really was"

He stared at her a little longer and then beamed, "Rose Tyler you are brilliant"

"Course," smiling she turned the car, "Here we are," she said as she slowed the car down before a security gate. "Strange," she said a moment later, "security should be here," Rose looked around and reached for her belt and pulled out a gun, "I better go check it out"

The Doctor frowned, "A gun Rose?" he reached out and before she could protest he took it and swapped it for a banana, "There much better"

Rose counted to five, "Doctor how is a banana gonna keep us safe?"

"Rose, Rose, Rose,"

"Doctor..."

He shook his head, "The banana's not supposed to keep you safe Rose, I'm here for that" he smiled and took the banana from her hands, "The banana is to keep you healthy, my healthy Rose" he slowly peeled it as Rose stared at him in disbelief, "Here" he offered her the banana, "eat up"

Rose shook her head, "Doctor, this is serious"

"Yes Rose, bananas are very serious, seriously good for you, now come on..."

Rose reached for his tie suddenly and pulled him towards her pressing her lips against his. The Doctor sat there in disbelief, banana in hand as Rose kissed him. Banana, Rose, banana, Rose... Rose sighed and let him go taking the gun from the side door, "Well Doctor," she said weakly reaching for the door handle, "better go err check it out then"

The Doctor stared at her, then the gun, then the banana, "You kissed me!"

Rose got out of the car and peered into the security gate room, "No one in there"

He walked up quietly behind her and stared over her shoulder, "Rose Tyler, you kissed me"

She jumped and dropped the gun on the floor, "Doctor!"

Quickly he picked up the gun and threw it into a nearby field, "No guns, I hate guns", he took a bite out the banana, "But banana's Rose are good"

Rose turned away from him and walked over to stare out at the field as she did so she started shaking,

"Rose, are you okay?"

Suddenly Rose let out a chuckle and started laughing.

He shook his head and pouted, "Rose, it's not funny"

"Sometimes Doctor," she laughed, "sometimes you are just so..."

"Brilliant"

She shook her head, "No... well yes but.."

"But..."

"You are so you!"

"Of course I'm me, who else would I be?" he raised an eyebrow and smiled, "Cassandra perhaps?"

Rose shook her head bemused, "Your full of it you are"

"Full of banana goodness," he smiled and pulled out another banana, "Sure you wont have one Rose?"

Rose walked up to him and stared at his jacket in disbelief, "How did you get two bananas in your pocket, I know for a fact the pockets are not bigger on the inside?"

"Ah Well thats true, I can't make the pockets bigger in that sense..."

"But..."

"Well its amazing what you can do with a needle and thread these days," the Doctor pulled open his jacket and revealed a large pocket sewed onto the inside of the jacket, "See... Bowden Powell taught me to sew you know"

"THE Boden Powel?"

"He wouldn't give me a badge though," he muttered with a pout as he closed his jacket, "and I really wanted a badge"

Rose shook her head with a smile, "You are absolutely full of it"

"And you Rose Tyler, " he said as he softly poked her nose, "are entirely too cheeky"

"ME!"

"Yes you Rose Tyler, " and before she could say anything else the Doctor pulled out his sonic screwdriver and pointed it over her shoulder, "And you.." he said with a stern frown, "Can stop right there, and tell me who are you?"


End file.
